Set in Vienna from its 1934 civil war, through World War II, subsequent Allied occupation until independence.  Readers follow the interwoven lives of Emma, an ordinary young woman, thrust into extraordinary times; Sophie, who escapes the worst, and returns to search for her lost history; and Friedrich, Sophie's uncle, a charming but morally ambiguous man whose secrets could throw their lives into turmoil again.

The novel is the story of humanity under pressure, of betrayal and grief, but also of hope and resilience.